MARCH 14, 2014
How Dan Waldschmidt learned to stop worrying and love “EDGY Conversations”
GETTING REAL TO GET AHEAD
UBJ UP FRONT
Covering Sustainability
NBSC makes everything so easy for us; it just doesn’t make sense to bank anywhere else. Daniel Bunnell, Principal
Lately we’ve had more environment-related stories than usual in UBJ, which is OK with me. We had a Q&A about business and conservation, and this week we’ve got a couple of stories about extractive industries – one about potential profits, the other about potential threats and costs. I spent some years focused on reporting and building an environment beat from scratch at a weekly paper in Kentucky working as a freelancer. It didn’t register at the time, but now that I’m back to business reporting at UBJ, it has struck me how much of the environment reporting I did back then was actually business reporting. Topics like endangered species and climate change weren’t really my purview. Being first and foremost a community journalist, my reporting had more to do with particulates in the air from chemical plants clustered on the west side of town, environmental education, and the Ohio River on whose banks our community was located. Yes, I wrote about what was in the water and who was polluting it, but one of my favorite stories was about a company that goes around the country cleaning up rivers. I spent a couple of nights with them on their barge on the Ohio and got to see the city literally from a completely different perspective. People in that community also paid attention to coal mining, though it mainly occurred in a different part of the state, and agricultural policy, which mattered even in the most urbanized city of a state with a largely agrarian economy and culture. I covered those things as well. Somebody’s bottom line, whether it was a farmer or a paint manufacturer, was usually part of the conversation, if not a central issue. Now that business is my main gig, it’s hard to divorce any industry from its environmental impacts. The tech industry, for instance, depends on massive amounts of energy and water, both in the creation of the devices and the maintenance
JENNIFER OLADIPO senior business writer
Sustainability is deeper than recycling and light bulbs or profitversus-planet. of servers that make up what we like to refer to as “the cloud.” Maybe law is exempt… but don’t they still use tons of paper? I might Google that. Anyway, thankfully sustainability has emerged as the arena where business and environment come together a bit more concretely. These columns are supposed to be brief so I’ll skip the details of that complex and evolving concept, but I see it very generally as the point at which it is acknowledged that business comes from and puts something or other back into a physical world. It’s deeper than recycling and light bulbs or profit-versus-planet. As a reporter, I find looking through the sustainability lens refreshing and interesting. It leaves room for broader thinking. I didn’t come out and say so in this week’s stories about forestry and coal ash, but that perspective was definitely part of my reporting. It’s often there in the background, and I suspect as this community grows, sustainability issues will move more to the front.
Daniel Bunnell, Principal, and Thomas Lammons, Principal, Bunnell-Lammons Engineering, Inc. — Greenville, SC
It’s not easy building something from the ground up, even when you’re an engineering company. When Bunnell-Lammons Engineering (BLE) broke ground in 1996, they needed a bank that could provide them with something every construction project needs — stability. And that’s what NBSC gave them. BLE was just starting out, offering a wide range of services to commercial, fi nancial, industrial, municipal and construction contractors, as well as architectural design and engineering clients. Building their business required working capital, but BLE had yet to prove themselves. NBSC did more than partner with them, they believed in them. Over the years, NBSC banker Ronnie Colson has offered expert advice, showed them how to make cost-effective decisions and taught BLE good money management techniques. NBSC also suggested refi nancing their loans in order to get a lower rate … before BLE even asked. Being able to anticipate a company’s needs, looking out for their best interests; that’s a sound foundation for success. Learn more at bankNBSC.com. Loan products subject to credit approval. NBSC is a division of Synovus Bank. Synovus Bank, Member FDIC, is chartered in the state of Georgia and operates under multiple trade names across the Southeast. Divisions of Synovus are not separately FDIC-insured banks. The FDIC coverage extended to deposit customers is that of one insured bank.
March 14, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 3
Volume 3, Issue 11
March 14, 2014
9
WORTH REPEATING “The problem is they’re everybody’s problem and nobody’s responsibility.” Carlton Owen, president of the Greenvillebased U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, on the difficulties faced by loggers in the state.
“If you’re buying, you can wear flip-flops, but if you’re selling, you better look like the bank.” Leighton Cubbage, cofounder of Serrus Capital Partners, on dressing professionally.
“It kind of sounds cheesy, but there’s a reason why we’re called human beings, not human doings.” Entrepreneur Dan Waldschmidt, on the importance of “what you are” over “what you do.”
MONEY SHOT: The W.S. Lee Steam Station in Pelzer, one of Duke Energy’s two coal-fired generating facilities in S.C. As the company works on a cleanup plan for a massive coal ash spill in North Carolina, Duke officials have said that the coal ash ponds at the Lee Steam Station are safe. See story on page 9.
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A new Cookout is reportedly coming to Greer at 1353 W. Wade Hampton Blvd.…
Word is Smoke on the Water has rented the space previously occupied by Kudzu next door to its restaurant and will be adding a private dining area… TAZ Boutique, a Pawley’s Island high-end women’s fashion store, will reportedly be opening next month in the Bank of America office tower where Camille’s Restaurant used to be...
4 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
VERBATIM
On Regions on the Rise… “Low taxes, right-to-work laws and an array of incentives have lured foreign automotive giants to South Carolina’s Upcountry.” Time magazine, this week naming Greenville one of eight “Regions on the Rise.”
UBJ ECONOMY
Report: SC Exports Reach $26.1B in 2013
Tailored
by the Purveyors of Classic American Style
By Joe Toppe | staff | jtoppe@communityjournals.com
South Carolina Department of Commerce highlighted the Palmettos State’s growth in exports during 2013 while showing a current spike in residential building permits and a small variation in home sales from last year. South Carolina saw an increase of 3.98 percent to $26.1 billion in exports in 2013 and experienced an export growth rate 85 percent higher than the 2.14 percent rise of the United States. Regional states such as Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina also witnessed a surge in export growth last year, though Alabama and Virginia experienced a slight decrease. Overall, South Carolina’s share of the United States export total grew from 1.62 percent in 2012 to 1.65 percent last year. The state’s leading providers in export growth during 2013 were aircraft with an $888 million increase, nuclear fuel elements with a $278 million increase, and passenger vehicles with a $116 million increase. China pushed ahead of Canada last year as South Carolina’s chief destination for exports and received around $4.8 billion in goods. The state exported $3.7 billion in goods to Canada, $3.2 billion to Germany and $1.8 billion to Mexico. Throughout January 2014 the total of residential building permits issued by the state of South Carolina was 29.6 percent higher than in January last year. Although residential building permits were up, the state’s real estate sales were slow the first month of 2014, falling two percent from the
Ã Ä Ä Ã
KEY S.C. INDICATORS
INCOME
+1.2%
-2.9%
State Personal Income – increased to $170.2 billion in the third quarter of 2013. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis) South Carolina Stock Index – lost 3.45 points in January, closing at 115.76 on the last trading day of the month. (Bloomberg)
REAL ESTATE
-5.1%
Single-Family Home Sales Price – decreased by $8,257 to $154,743 in January. (South Carolina Association of Realtors)
+31.1%
Residential Building Permits – increased by 524 permits from the previous month to 2,210 permits issued in January. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Source: South Carolina Department of Commerce
Spring Into Color The weather is changing. Temperatures are rising. Trees are budding. Daffodils are popping up. Everyone‘s tired of the cold, ice and snow. Hopefully old man winter has gone away. It’s time to jump into Spring and that means lots of color. Like the colors of new leaves, blooming trees and flowers, our wardrobes also make a metamorphosis. We brighten the colors of our clothes and accessories with the season. If you’re like my wife and me, you’ve already received “save the date” cards for weddings, anniversary parties, the patron’s party for Artisphere and more. It’s time to start planning your wardrobe for these events and more to come. Here in the south, spring colors are translated into mostly pastels – pink, coral, spring green, teal, aqua, turquoise, yellows, lavender and blues. You can incorporate spring colors into any facet of your wardrobe – business, business casual or social. For business, the best way to incorporate the new spring colors is through the use of accessories. If you wear suits to work, complement navy, grey and tan suits with pastel ties and pocket squares. The colors should be soft, not harsh or strong. This will assure a fresh and professional look. If you wear business casual, introduce the new spring colors in long sleeve sport shirts, or cotton polos that can be worn with a blazer, grey dress slacks or khakis. When wearing a blazer, complete your outfit with a pastel shirt and a silk or linen pocket square. For social occasions such as rehearsal dinners, patron’s parties, and country club cocktail parties, consider wearing a colorful sport coat to make a splash. Try a silk blend sport coat in a distinctive pastel like teal, pink or royal blue. Light grey, light tan or off white trousers complement every color of spring sport coat. Don’t be afraid of color, embrace it this spring. Have confidence in wearing it appropriately. That confidence will be noticed by your clients, colleagues and friends.
same month one year ago. Statewide, home sales were also down in early 2014 from the same time last year, seeing a drop in sales volume from 3,641 to 3,567. Both Greenville and Spartanburg saw changes from January 2013 to January of this year as Greenville experienced a small improvement in sales volume from 512 to 527, and Spartanburg saw a minor dip in sales volume from 226 to 194.
23 West North Street, Greenville, SC 29601 864.232.2761 | www.rushwilson.com Open Mon.-Sat. 9:30am - 5:30pm Wed. 9:30am - 1:00pm
March 14, 2014
J23
A recent report issued by the
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 5
SOLUTIONARY RECYCLING UBJ FORESTRY How It Can Help Your Business
New Program Chops Logging Costs By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer | joladipo@communityjournals.com
Generating $17 billion a year,
R
ecycling is not just good for the environment -- it also helps businesses stay competitive, says George Mumford, president of Mumford Industries, a full-service industrial recycling company. Mumford industries is one of the leading full-service recycling companies in the Southeast. With a physical plant located in Ninety Six SC, and a sales office on the CU-ICAR campus in Greenville SC, Mumford has been dedicated to developing and implementing recycling programs and earth friendly practices since 1995. Mumford’s aim is to help companies be Environmentally Responsible, Profitable, Competitive and Compliant and to support Zero Waste initiatives. Businesses have embraced being environmentally conscious while they are also being faced with the challenge of improving quality and controlling costs. “What we do dovetails into that very well for companies that are motivated,” Mumford says. “We offer them Solutionary Recycling.” Mumford provides free evaluations of a company’s general waste stream and presents them with the recycling opportunities they have. Evaluation findings often reveal areas where a company could be more efficient on a production line and the types of waste they are creating. “Efficiency leads to better quality, less waste and more profit,” Mumford explains. Mumford has discovered that the data mined out of the recycling spreadsheets that they provide to their clients often changes the way many of them do business. Mumford Industries helps companies by recycling a mix of materials, but focuses primarily on recyclable industrial plastic scrap. Among these types of plastic are polypropylene, nylon, high-density polyethylene and engineering-grade resins. Using specially developed equipment, Mumford processes the scrap into a reusable form to be used as feedstock by other industries. They also provide custom toll work, where a customer’s recyclable material is processed and returned to them for their own reuse, closing the loop. Another part of Mumford niche in the recycling world is that along with their ability to handle a large array of plastic materials and types, they also can handle paper materials as well, making them a one stop shop for most companies who have recyclable material and would like one vendor to handle them all efficiently. The company’s No. 1 catalyst for growth is the quality of its personnel. Our people have the ability to adapt to the evolution of industrial and manufacturing sustainability needs, Mumford says. And the industrial growth in the Upstate provides a ready market for recycling. Mumford also believes in educating SC about recycling, they are active in the statewide group RecyclonomicsSC, with the chairperson, Tina Green Huskey, on staff. and has provided conference speakers for Green Is Good for Business and the Carolina Recycling Association, among others. In 2013, Mumford Industries recycled 16 million pounds of material. All over the South Carolina, in Georgia and in North Carolina, the company provides recycling services for automotive, textile, housing, medical, and packaging manufactures, as well as distribution and warehouse facilities. New technology is constantly added to meet customer needs. Systems are developed in-house to meet quality standards, Mumford says. “That sets us apart”.
CU-ICAR Office - Greenville SC | Physical Plant - Ninety Six SC 864-543-9912 | www.mumfordindustries.com 6 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
timber is South Carolina’s No. 1 cash crop, and forestry is its top manufacturing industry. Now the state is the pilot site of a national program organizers say will support the many small businesses that make up the industry by reducing their fuel costs. The program will create a system of fuel depots throughout the state that will save loggers an average of 10 cents per gallon. The South Carolina Timber Producers Association (SCTPA) will be the first statewide group to have a formal agreement with the Southern Loggers Cooperative (SLC), which operates 21 depots in seven other states. Its only S.C. location opened near Georgetown in 2012. “We told them, ‘We love what you’re doing, but you’re moving too slow. We need to find a way to help you,’” said Carlton Owen, president of the Greenville-based U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (EDC). As middlemen, loggers take the biggest hits, Owen said. “Those small businesses [since] the recession have just been hammered. They can’t get money [because] credit is tight. They’re squeezed by the landowner on one end, and they squeezed by the mill owner who wants the lowest price… The problem is they’re everybody’s problem and nobody’s responsibility.” The EDC is taking some responsibility by partnering with SLC, SCTPA and the Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) to extend the reach of SLC’s system of fuel depots. They are essentially small, unmanned gas stations. Lack of staff reduces overhead, and the bill is charged automatically to the company. The group will conduct a study in
the next few weeks to determine locations. Newberry and the area between Greenville and Cowpens have been discussed, Owen said. They will be developed one or two at a time in areas where they can serve the most people the fastest, Owen said. SCTPA members are enthusiastic about the program. “It was a unanimous vote, and let me tell you loggers rarely vote unanimously on anything. They are a violently independent bunch,” Owen said. SLC will own each depot on behalf of its cooperative membership. SCTPA will help identify appropriate sites, work to expand co-op membership and receive a portion of the revenue generated. In addition to fuel cost savings expected to add up to thousands of dollars, members receive annual dividend payouts. EDC works nationally in support of the forestry industry, which faces major challenges, such as an aging workforce and high cost of entry into the field. “We’ve focused on one near-term thing we can help them on, which is reducing price of their diesel fuel,” Owen said. Most loggers are small, rural-based companies that have been in business for decades. They hover in the range of about three to 20 employees, although even the smallest crew must spend close to a $1 million in start-up costs. Owen said loggers are the most disadvantaged part of the value chain. “The industry often looks at the paper mill, but what if you don’t have the logger providing the wood? You don’t move the mill and you can’t move the land; you move the wood. You’ve got to have that cadre of workers that can do the negotiating back and forth.”
UBJ MANUFACTURING | RESTAURANTS
BMW X4 Production to Begin in Greer The 2015 BMW X4 Sports Activity Coupe, slated to begin production at the automaker’s Spartanburg County plant this spring, will make its debut at the New York Auto Show in April, BMW said last week in a statement. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder sports activity X4 xDrive28i will be $45,625, according to the statement. The xDrive35i will have a $48,925 ticket and feature BMW’s 300-horsepower 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. Both models include eight-speed automatic transmissions with shift
Preview PARTY!
Join us for our inaugural Preview Party in celebration of TEDxGreenville’s April 11 day-long conference: TEDxGreenville Unzipped. Guests will be able to meet and mingle with presenters, organizers, sponsors, and other TEDxGreenville fans, while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. There will also be a lighthearted introduction of presenters that will include an interactive Q&A. Tues., March 18, 6 - 8 p.m. Enjoy Hors D’oeuvres & Cash Bar Zen Greenville, 924 S. Main Street Thank you to our sponsors!
paddles and BMW’s all-wheel drive system. BMW is spending $900 million for a new production line for the X4 at its Greer plant in Spartanburg County, where it is building the X5, X6 and X3.
Admission is free, but registration is required. Visit www.tedxgreenville.com/salons to register or for more information.
Rick Erwin Breaks Ground for Clemson Restaurant The Rick Erwin Dining Group broke ground for its new restaurant in Clemson’s Patrick Square in a ceremony on Thursday. The new location, to be called Rick Erwin’s Clemson, is the fourth in the restaurateur’s growing franchise and its first location in Clemson. The restaurant will have seating for 140 inside with additional outdoor seating, and will be modeled after Erwin’s West End Grille in Greenville. Erwin’s other restaurants include Rick Erwin’s Nantucket Seafood and Rick’s Deli and Market in Greenville. The concept for Rick Erwin’s Clemson “will be a mix between the Deli and the Grille, leaning more towards the Grille,” according to a
Rick Erwin Dining Group spokesperson. Construction of a 12,000-squarefoot mixed-use building, which will include the ground floor restaurant, is scheduled for completion in fall 2014. Located at the corner of Thomas Green Blvd. and Market Street, the building will anchor the Town Center, along with Clemson University’s Osher Life Long Learning Institute. Patrick Square is a planned mixeduse traditional neighborhood development in Clemson. Along with the Town Center, the community will include 415 homes, stores, restaurants and public gathering areas. Rick Erwin’s Clemson is expected to open in October.
Exciting News for Junior Golfers at Green Valley Country Club!
Join with No Initiation Fee for a limited time! Young Professionals (age 30 to 40) $250/month Junior Membership (age 21 to 30) $150/month
Host of the 2014
“Like” Green Valley Country Club Dining Minimum is $150/Quarter * Includes 5% SC Admissions Tax
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March 14, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 7
UBJ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Focus on Growth
Westside Study Shows Need for Grocery Store
As the business owner or CEO, you are running through your day focused on one thing – growing the business. Each day, you meet with people, look at numbers and analyze processes: all of which work towards the goal of growth and profitability. That is why you are successful.
By Joe Toppe | staff | jtoppe@communityjournals.com
Then something happens that makes you put on your brakes. Maybe it’s a disagreement between your employees which stops production or an employee didn’t show up to work because of a late night out. Regardless, your job just changed. Your focus moved from growth to just getting the train back on the tracks.
Residents of Greenville’s West-
LEE YARBOROUGH Managing people is difficult. Just when I think I have seen everything that could happen from an HR perspective; I see something new! I advise people daily on how to handle unusual personnel issues, yet I still am surprised.
As the leader of the company, it is imperative that you keep your focus on growth and profitability. However, personnel issues will arise and you must be prepared. • Avoid the knee jerk reaction. Take a breath before speaking and gather your thoughts. • Have a process and communicate it. If all personnel issues are to be funneled to a certain person in your organization, make sure your employees know this. Once the process is established then the organization can run more effectively. Set up the proper chain of command, but understand that you must get involved on escalated issues. • Know the basic employment laws. There may be both personal and corporate liability for discrimination, harassment and compliance laws. Don’t be in the dark. • Consult with your HR department or legal team. • Document, Document, Document. • Finally, consider outsourcing. Your company may be too small for a full time HR staff member; however, you are not too small to be sued. Outsourcing your human resources functions is a wise and cost effective solution. Maintain your focus on growth, but be prepared for any personnel issue. Trust me, when dealing with people, you never know what to expect.
M43A
669 N. Academy Street, Greenville, SC 864.679.6055 | 800.446.6567 | www.propelhr.com
8 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
side may soon be shopping for groceries in their own neighborhood. Following a comprehensive plan focused on transportation, housing and economic development in the area, the city recognized a need for an affordable Westside grocery store, spearheading a subsequent marketing analysis and public meeting. The Greenville Westside Comprehensive Plan is part of Connections for Sustainability, a multiphase $1.8 million federal planning project that included a citywide housing strategy and transit feasibility study. Upon the completion of the planning process, Connections for Sustainability added a marketing analysis to determine the feasibility and possible locations of a grocery store in the Westside, said community planner Wayne Leftwich. Although the examination contained a variety of principal topics covering demographic segmentation, economic sector, and geographic studies, the analysis focused on the area’s need for a grocery store. Bob Lewis, principal at Development Strategies in St. Louis, presented the results of the marketing analysis at a public meeting in Greenville last week and answered questions from residents of the city’s Westside neighborhoods. Public comments centered on the likely timeframe of a grocery store being built in the area and the preservation of its established homes and residents. Westside resident Wanda Jackson said the lack of transportation in the poorer neighborhoods demands the construction of a grocery store immediately. Joshua Blankenship, a homeowner on Pendleton Street, said the addition of an affordable grocery store would
be the beginning of positive economic development and stable growth in the area, as long as its current residents and homes were maintained. Lewis said residents must apply pressure on the city’s economic and planning departments with petitions, letters of support and input at public hearings. “A grocery store will not be added to the Westside without the strong support of its people, and the pressure is on the community to market themselves to possible grocers,” he said. The marketing analysis focused on three Westside neighborhoods: Southernside, the West End and West Greenville. Of the 651 businesses located on the Westside of Greenville, only five stores containing some manner of grocery inventory are within the study area, Lewis said. A Kash & Karry is inside West Greenville, while a Handee Mart and a Spinx gas station sit along its borders, he said. A Family Dollar and a Citgo border the West End, but the Southernside neighborhood is without any form of grocery outlet. As highlighted by the study, urban neighborhoods or rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy and affordable foods are in a food desert, and the majority of residents living in the Westside do not have access to these foods. Defined by a lack of supermarkets and grocery stores, a food desert can exist in an area with no food access or served only by fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. Leftwich said the City of Greenville would use the final results of the marketing analysis to recruit a grocery store to the Westside. “Although there is no current timeframe for a grocery store being built, we have taken the first steps with this study,” he said.
UBJ UTILITIES
Duke: Upstate Coal Ash Is Secure By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer | joladipo@communityjournals.com
As Duke Energy Carolinas works on a cleanup plan for a massive coal ash spill in North Carolina, the company said a similar storage facility in Anderson County is safe. Huge amounts of coal ash spilled from a broken pipe at a retired power plant into North Carolina’s Dan River last month, calling attention to the safety of the company’s coal ash storage facilities. Duke’s next steps on this issue might indicate how the company could handle costs associated with dealing with its S.C. coal ash impoundments. CEO Lynn Good told the Charlotte Observer last week that the company would pay to clean up the recent spill, but additional pond disposal costs are considered part of the company’s cost structure. She pointed out that the ash was “was created over decades for the generation of electricity,” and it would be up to the state’s utility commission to decide whether that cost could be passed on to customers. The issue of coal ash pond cleanup was debated in the S.C. Legislature, where the House recently passed a bill that could protect Duke and other companies from citizen group lawsuits under the S.C. Pollution Control Act. Two coal ash ponds are located at The W.S. Lee Steam Station in Pelzer, a three-unit coal-fired power plant on the Saluda River. Lee operates as a cycling station to supplement supply when electricity demand is highest. It is one of two Duke Energy coal-fired generating facilities in the state. According the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Lee Station averages about 63,000 tons of coal ash waste, which, like all coal ash, harbors pollutants including arsenic,
cadmium and lead. A 2010 assessment published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and another EPA assessment letter issued to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control in August 2013 listed conditions at the Lee coal ash impoundments as “fair,” one notch below “satisfactory.” The rating means acceptable performance is expected, but “minor deficiencies may exist that require remedial action and/or secondary studies or investigation.” Duke spokesman Ryan Mosier said the dams and basins at the Lee Steam Station are safe. “We agree that coal ash basins must be addressed and we are taking another look at the appropriate way to do that,” Mosier said. The 2010 report suggested improvements including formal monitoring and analysis of the seepage area downstream of the secondary ash basin to see if it could compromise stability of the dam; updated stability analyses on both dams; finding the cause of elevated water levels and whether they could compromise the safety of the primary dam; and better monitoring of seepage. Mosier said the company plans to install instrumentation that will aid in monitoring seepage as suggested, and the other issues had been addressed in 2012. Soon, the Lee station will be retired, but the coal ash will remain. Two of its units will be retired and a third will be converted to use natural gas as its fuel source also by April 2015. Once these actions are complete, Duke Energy will no longer operate coal-fired power plants in South Carolina.
We are pleased to announce that We are pleasedCFP to®, CRPS® Joseph B. Galloway, Financial Advisor announce that Has joined our
Joseph B.SC Galloway, CFP®, CRPS® Greenville, office Financial Advisor
Has joined our Greenville, SC office
15 S. Main Street 2nd Floor Greenville, SC 29601 Joe.Galloway@wellsfargo.com
864-255-8319 15 S. Main Street 2nd Floor or 800-767-5386
Greenville, SC 29601 Joe.Galloway@wellsfargo.com
864-255-8319
Investment and Insurance Products: or 800-767-5386 NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2012 GN-0100718149 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 1012-00190 [79510-v3] A1255
Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee
MAY Lose Value
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2012 GN-0100718149 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 1012-00190 [79510-v3] A1255
March 14, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 9
UBJ BANKING
Park Sterling Expands Upstate Footprint By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer | joladipo@communityjournals.com
Charlotte-based Park Sterling Corporation, the holding company for Park Sterling Bank, aims to fill in the gaps in its South Carolina footprint with the $6.5 million acquisition of Provident Community Bank. Park Sterling and holding company Provident Community Bancshares Inc. inked a deal that is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014. Park Sterling officials said the combined company will have about $2.3 billion in assets, $1.9 billion in total deposits, $1.4 billion in total loans, and a network of 54 offices in the Carolinas, Virginia and North Georgia. The transaction, which will allow the bank to expand products
in familiar markets that the bank is in or surrounds already, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014. “It doesn’t take but a moment’s glance at a map to see how beautifully Park Sterling fits in our franchise,” said Park Sterling CEO Jim Cherry. He said Rock Hill is a “hot market” at the moment, and that Park Sterling has been more active in South Carolina than any other region. Provident has nine branches across Upstate South Carolina, including one in Simpsonville. Cherry said Park Sterling has been focused on increasing hiring in
Charleston and Greenville, including Claude Robinson, who left County Bank in October to become South Carolina community markets president at Park Sterling. The acquisition will have a significant impact on Park Sterling’s Upstate market share. Officials said the combined entities will move up to 15th in deposit market share in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin MSA
from Park Sterling’s current ranking as 17th. In the Spartanburg MSA, Park Sterling’s rank will rise to 11th from 19th. Cherry said during a March 5 conference call with investors that Provident’s deposit base was one of the most attractive aspects of the transaction. The company’s goals include double-digit loan growth in 2014, and Provident’s deposit base is underutilized and ripe for greater loan originations, officials said during the call. The bank had also reduced its credit risk since 2008, resulting in a relatively low loan-to-deposit ratio and more in cash and securities and ultimately making it more attractive.
South Carolina stands out as a top destination for foreign investment, ranking #1 nationwide in attracting jobs through foreign investment for the second year running.*
Please join the Greenville Chamber to celebrate international investment in Upstate SC!
TUESDAY, MARCH 25th | 5:30-7:30pm HYATT Regency Ballroom, Downtown Greenville
Presenting Sponsor
Learn more and register at www.GreenvilleChamber.org. *according to an analysis by IBM-Plant Location International
10 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
PRESENTS
the
MILLENNIUM DRIVE
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY’S PREMIERE CAR CRUISE AND the FESTIVAL IS COMING TO GREENVILLE! PRESENTS
PRESENTS THE MILLENNIUM DRIVE, presents
an international car cruise and street festival that celebrates
the
the Upstate’s booming, international automotive market. This inaugural event celebrates transportation’s rich past and showcases the automotive industry’s exciting future. More than 100 international cars will cruise up and down CU-ICAR’s Millennium Boulevard. The festival will also feature live entertainment, an authentic German Biergarten and food from around the world. PRESENTS
the
Admission is FREE! Bring the whole family! When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 22, 2014 Where: On the campus of CU-ICAR Find us online at cuicar.com/millenniumdrive
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
March 14, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 11
UBJ YOUR MONEY
By MARTI SPENCER
Charitable Donations Are Good Business It is common knowledge that “giving is good for the soul.” Individuals who volunteer or make contributions to charities generally tend to be happier and more compassionate than those who do not. But what about businesses that give? Are there really any great benefits to a business donating to charities?
Why Donate?
Donating to charities can actually benefit a company’s bottom line. According to research conducted by Dover Management, companies that nurture a culture of philanthropy are more profitable. The study found that companies with a solid link between giving and operating earnings outperformed the Standard & Poor’s 500 index by 3.5 percentage points over five years. One of the main reasons for this is that the IRS allows businesses to deduct certain charitable contributions from their taxes. So when you give to charities, you are actually getting something in return.
Companies with a solid link between giving and operating earnings outperformed the Standard & Poor’s 500 index by 3.5 percentage points over five years. Source: Dover Management
In addition to experiencing greater profit over a certain amount of time, companies that donate to charity also experience an increase in visibility and exposure in the community. Giving helps increase customer awareness while also creating a good reputation for the company. People are much more likely to support companies that support the community. In fact, many consumers make purchasing decisions based upon a company’s image, and will go out of their way to support companies with a favorable reputation. A charitable business can often have a profound impact on employee engagement, as well. According to an article from Realized Worth, corporate giving helps employees see themselves and where they fit into a corporation more positively. The article also showed that offering employees the opportunity to give in the workplace strengthens their commitment to the company and boosts their productivity and ethical behavior. Another benefit is the sense of teamwork and camaraderie that grows between employees as they work together towards a common goal.
How Can You Donate?
While writing a check is still the most common form of philanthropy in the world, there are actually a vast number of ways a business can give
to charities that have nothing to do with monetary donations. Many nonprofits are just as interested in a company’s time as they are in its checkbook. Volunteering or helping sponsor a special event is another important way a business can contribute to their charity of choice. A company can also help host food or recycling drives in the office. Ronald McDonald House Charities actually collects aluminum tabs from various organizations in order to help support the families they serve.
Things to Consider
Before a business donates to charity, it is important to find the right charity. The most important thing to note is that there is not a one-size-fits-all charity. Where one company may want exposure or recognition in the community, another company may simply want volunteer opportunities for its employees. A business should take the time to form a committee that will determine what it wants most out of the partnership. That committee would also evaluate what nonprofit would best align with the company’s ideals and employee culture. A business should also poll its employees to see where their passions lie when it comes to a nonprofit. This is where the structure of a committee
would be most effective. Not everyone wants to take the lead, but many will follow. Once the momentum is built, others will want to weigh in on what they feel is a worthy cause. In addition, a business should request a report to see how donations are being spent. This will help to ensure that the charity a business supports is using donations wisely. All this depends on the charity that is chosen and how that process is measured.
Building a Community
It is important to support services within the community that help the greater good. A community is built by individuals, and those individuals have businesses. Living within a community where money is re-invested in nonprofits that serve the greater good is the kind of community that would most likely foster positive outcomes for employees, families and future generations to come. Marti Spencer is executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas. Spencer started as volunteer, then the program manager, chief development officer and now executive director. The Ronald McDonald House gives families a place to stay while their children are undergoing treatment in local hospitals.
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12 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
UBJ DIGITAL MAVEN
By LAURA HAIGHT
Happy Birthday, World Wide Web! Now What? “Rain Man” won best picture, another kind of happy ruled the airwaves with Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” as record of the year, there still was a Soviet Union and Mikhail Gorbachev was the leader of it. Oh yes, and Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. An Englishman working for CERN, a European research organization, Berners-Lee wrote a paper on March 12, 1989, proposing a structure to manage information across the network of networks known now as the Internet. A year later, he released the code for the first Web browser, and the world has never been – and will never be – the same. According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet Life study to mark the Web’s 25th birthday (goo.gl/ okx5sL), the Internet would be the hardest of all technologies for adults to give up – edging out the cellphone and crushing email and social media. The Internet is a dichotomy of services and connections we have come to depend on, wrapped up in consequences or conditions we distrust. What can we hope for in the next 25 years?
That life does not imitate art. In our rush to see what we can do, we aren’t taking enough time to determine if we should do it.
The Internet is a dichotomy of services and connections we have come to depend on, wrapped up in consequences or conditions we distrust.
We are in the early That we recognize that the TECHNOLOGIES THAT WOULD BE stages of what is called good of society and the good VERY HARD TO GIVE UP the “Internet of Things” of corporations are not the % OF ALL ADULTS WHO SAY THESE TECHNOLOGIES or Web 3.0 – or, as Bersame thing. WOULD BE VERY HARD OR IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE UP ners-Lee calls it, the “Semantic Web.” Regardless Recent decisions about Net of the name, this is the neutrality make it possible for INTERNET 46% ability for devices to commajor Internet providers to municate with other ratchet down service and block devices. In Issac Asimov’s some Web traffic while allowing prescient sci-fi novel “I, others. This may seem harmless CELL PHONE 44% Robot,” the community at first – so what if entertaindoesn’t take control over ment companies have to jockey their machines until the for position to get on the robots, empowered by a Verizon A-list and have their TELEVISION 35% trusting, lazy and arrocontent available? But it is not gant society, launch a harmless. The Internet is a nearly victorious rebelpublic space and access to it lion. The good guys win should be public. EMAIL 34% in the book, but that’s When big companies can just a novel. strike deals that control what The risk is real and we you can watch, which companies are already in the early LANDLINE can provide it to you and how 17% stages of it. We have TELEPHONE much of the Internet pipe you found more and more will get, then we are very much ways for computers to do in danger of losing a whole lot jobs – not only manual SOCIAL more than the ability to watch MEDIA 10% jobs, but the jobs formerreruns of “Lost.” ly held by knowledge Net neutrality is a bit of a workers. We travel boring topic that most people Source, Pew Research Center Internet Project Survey, blindly where GPS takes don’t pay much attention to, but January 9-12, 2014. N=1006 adults us and then wonder why it is critical and the decisions we are lost. We put home made now will affect our futures. automation security on What if corporations owned the our front door and then use 1234 as Recently, I read the Internet de- interstates and only approved traffic our mobile device password. scribed as a “marketing tool.” It made could ride on them? In the control me grate my teeth the same way I did of a handful of powerful corporations, That we use data not just to sell when I heard newspapers described controlling access can have implicathings, but to make the world a as “advertising delivery mechanisms.” tions that go far beyond entertainsafer, smarter and better place. While that is a byproduct, it is not ment options. the primary purpose. At 25 years old, the Web is at a I am all for big data collection, so crossroads. We can have a big part Data is the holy grail of the Internet. Organizations collect it, massage long as it is transparent and protect- in determining which road we go it, dice it and sell it. And you are none ed. So long as you can know that I down – so long as we are paying atthe wiser. need reading glasses, play golf and tention. I had eye surgery in December. am addicted to Sudoku, I hope you Now when I am on Facebook, search can also find the guy who is hijacking Laura Haight is the president of websites or play Words With Friends, credit card numbers off the gas pump Portfolio (portfoliosc.com), which works I get ads delivered up for reading and selling them in Eastern Europe, with small businesses to incorporate glasses. I’m sure that is the most stop cyberbullying, and help get emerging media and technology into its benign thing that big data companies missing kids off milk cartons and business communications, operations and training. know about me. back home.
March 14, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 13
UBJ INNOVATE
By DR. KEITH MILLER
Changing Attitudes on Manufacturing We hear a lot about advanced manufacturing in our area because it’s a cornerstone of our economy. It tops the list of contributors to the gross regional product, it contributes more in total wages to the local economy than any other industry, and it’s behind only one other industry for number of individuals employed in the private sector. Those numbers paint a bright future for manufacturing, a scenario reinforced by employees who these days contribute brain rather
than brawn, working in an environment that’s cleaner than most kitchens. Still, many people think of the manufacturing workplace in a dimmer light. They see the plants and textile mills of yesteryear, places where repetitive tasks were performed on gritty shop floors, and the emphasis was on speed of motion rather than mental acuity. Unfortunately, this view of manufacturing is being passed down from one generation to the next.
14 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
➤ GO
FIGURE
$72,461
average salary of manufacturing employees in Greenville County
$52,162
average salary of all Greenville County workers Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Parents want to know that their sons and daughters will have financially stable careers that afford them the ability to raise their families. They want their children to earn prestige along with strong salaries. Yet that financial freedom and respect is available in the often-de-
valued manufacturing sector. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing employees in our area earn an average salary of $72,461, much higher than the average of $52,162 for all Greenville County workers. Much has changed in manufacturing in recent years. The movement toward producing products in China has lost steam as labor costs there have risen. Manufacturing jobs that were once sent elsewhere have returned, but they’re different now – more highly skilled than the positions of the past. Attitudes about manufacturing need to change, too. At Greenville Technical College, we are coming together with Clemson University, >>
UBJ INNOVATE Just as textile mills have faded from their once-dominant position in our state’s economy, attitudes about manufacturing based on outdated information need to be replaced as well. >> Greenville County Schools and leading manufacturers to help young people and their parents take an entirely new look at manufacturing, and in this way to build the future workforce as we grow the existing one. Our Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI) will offer dual-credit programs in partnership with Greenville County Schools, bridge programs that allow a student to move from an associate degree at Greenville Tech to a bachelor’s degree at Clemson, research for innovation in advanced manufacturing and future technologies related to advanced manufacturing, and workforce training and certificate programs that increase the qualifications of manufacturing employees. Just as importantly, the CMI will show young people what advanced manufacturing really looks like. In the dual-enrollment programs along with tours, camps and openhouse events, they will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced engineers and professionals so that they get their hands on the career and their minds past the stereotypes that exist around manufacturing. In this space adjacent to Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research Technology Neighborhood #1, we will integrate education from the K-12 level to the community college level to
the four-year research university level. We plan a number of curricular innovations that will create the talent area manufacturers so desperately need. With a Manufacturing Honors College, we will break new ground in attracting highly talented students into the manufacturing field. Thanks to a modularized curriculum, students will work through self-paced modules and short-term blocks, allowing them to make a rapid entry into the workplace. With Career Pathways, we will integrate programs and services in order to develop students’ core academic, technical and employability skills. Through contextualized learning, we will redesign remedial and entry-level courses to focus on manufacturing specific careers and occupations. With certificates of proficiency, we will provide entry-level access to manufacturing employment for those who are not ready or unable to commit to longer-term education and training. Just as textile mills have faded from their once-dominant position in our state’s economy, attitudes about manufacturing based on outdated information need to be replaced as well. The Center for Manufacturing Innovation is likely to change many minds, and we look forward to breaking old patterns of thought when we break ground in 2014.
Dr. Keith Miller is president of Greenville Technical College, past chairman of the board for the American Association of Community Colleges, and a former member of the board for the American Council on Education. He serves on the boards of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Urban League of the Upstate, and United Way of Greenville County.
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UBJ PROFESSIONAL
By MYLES GOLDEN
Short-Term Strategies for the Long-Term Unemployed As the number of long-term unemployed workers in the nation continues to climb, it’s fair to say that people who’ve been unemployed for more than six months are less likely to get a new job than people who’ve only been unemployed for a month or two. A field study by economist Rand Ghayad sheds more light on this issue. Ghayad mailed out thousands of fake resumes to see who would get a callback. Some resumes had relevant job experience but showed that the applicant had been out of work for more than six months. Other resumes were without relevant job experience, but for people who’d been out of work for just a few weeks or months. Ghayad recorded who got called back for an interview. It turns out that applicants with an unemployment duration of six months or more barely got any interviews – proving it becomes very challenging for somebody who’s been unemployed long-term to get an interview for a job. There were 3.7 million people in January who were counted as longterm unemployed, or out of work for 27 or more weeks, comprising 34 percent of the unemployed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those numbers do not include 2.6 million people who were classified as “marginally attached to the labor force” because they had not looked for a job in the four weeks preceding
3.7 million
people in January who were counted as long-term unemployed. Those numbers do not include
2.6 million
people who were classified as “marginally attached to the labor force.”
UNEMPLOYED PERSONS BY DURATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT DURATION
JAN. 2013
DEC. 2013
JAN. 2014
Less than 5 weeks
3,246 (24.6%)
2,236 (22.4%)
2,876 (26.5%)
5 to 14 weeks
3,316 (25.2%)
2,376 (23.8%)
2,587 (23.8%)
15 weeks and over
6,618 (50.2%)
5,372 (53.8%)
5,392 (49.7%)
15 to 26 weeks
1,854 (14.1%)
1,619 (16.2%)
1,702 (15.7%)
27 weeks and over
4,764 (36.1%)
3,753 (37.6%)
3,690 (34.0%)
Average (mean) duration, in weeks
33.6
36.2
33.3
Median duration, in weeks
14.7
17.5
14.3
Numbers of unemployed in thousands. Not seasonally adjusted. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
the government’s survey. However, they had searched for work sometime in the previous 12 months. Long-term unemployed workers are in need of short-term strategies to re-energize their job searches and secure the right positions. The following strategies can assist the long-term unemployed to achieve this breakthrough.
• Hang out a shingle. Start your own freelance practice or consulting firm or become a contract worker. This is an increasingly effective way to become re-employed. This may have particular appeal to people over 50 where seasoning is usually not considered an impediment. Include this work on your resume after successfully completing a few assignments where you can get referrals from satisfied clients and customers.
which you have experience. You
can consult for a fee or just a solid recommendation. Consulting fills a void on the resume and gives you something to talk about in an interview. It also shows that someone else wants your services.
• Take a short-term assignment you can put on your resume as a bridge. Think of your career plan as several small steps forward, rather than one giant leap. A short-term bridge position may be the best option to ending a long-term period of unemployment. Don’t pass up short-term “less than ideal” opportunities while waiting it out for the perfect job. It may take several bridge positions to get to where you ultimately want to go.
aptitude test. People sometimes pigeonhole themselves into one career path and are not aware they have skills that are transferable to other job roles and industries.
• Focus on education. Some employers interpret long-term unemployment as a lack of ambition. Pursuing a degree or taking classes indicates you are driven and are expanding your knowledge. • Change the way you interview.
Focus on the multiple ways companies are hiring, including contract and part-time positions, instead of only on the one job for which you are interviewing. Also, be more specific about how your experience can help a potential employer solve problems. Adopt a proactive “what I can do for your company” style of interviewing, rather than only talking about what you did in your past jobs.
• Volunteer your talents with a visible not-for-profit agency where,
in addition to performing a service to your community, you can make new networking contacts. Also, check out websites that align people with charitable agencies in their areas that could not otherwise afford their services.
• Stop using your computer for your job search and start using • Acquire a certificate in your feet. Spend your time network• Use a friend’s empty room as training. Get training in new skills ing and net-weaving (helping others business office. If you have a friend under the Workforce Investment Act who in turn will help you). who runs his or her own business, ask if you can use an empty room as an office. Your local Chamber of Commerce may have some rooms available that you can reserve, or a nonprofit organization may give you an office in exchange for donating your services.
(WIA), a federal program that provides funds to pay for training programs that are WIA-certified. The certificate you receive will certify that your training meets certain performance standards. Such training also includes registered apprenticeship programs.
• Try consulting in a field in
• Take an assessment or
18 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
• Finally, when you get a job, don’t forget those who are still out there looking. Help them in their search as well.
Myles Golden is president and CEO Golden Career Strategies/OI Partners.
By Marion Mann, senior marketing manager, Greenville Chamber
UBJ THE TAKEAWAY
Habits to Win Leighton Cubbage on goals, integrity and looking the part EVENT: The Greenville Chamber’s Friday Forum Series WHERE: Embassy Suites Golf Resort & Conference Center WHO WAS THERE: 200+ members of Greenville’s business community FEATURE PRESENTATION: “21 Habits to Win” with Leighton Cubbage SPONSOR: TLC Accounting and Tax Inc.
Leighton M. Cubbage is cofounder and chairman of the board of Serrus Capital Partners, a real estate investment company headquartered in Greenville. His entrepreneurial background is steeped in the telecom industry, where he also cofounded Serrus Telecom Investments. Cubbage has served on boards in the automotive, banking and health care industries, including two terms as chairman of the Greenville Health System, the largest health care organization in S.C. Cubbage was a star linebacker at his high school in Sumter, but that glory didn’t necessarily follow him to the field at Clemson. Instead, he started delivering pizzas. That led to owning pizza shops, and the rest is an entrepreneurial journey through many failures and more successes. When asked what success looks like to him, he noted that it has looked different to him in many stages of his life, but that now, “success is significance. What are
you doing to help people?” Currently, Cubbage works to help entrepreneurs with their goals through the Successful Entrepreneurship Lecture Series. Here are just a few of his “21 Habits to Win.”
Make the Decision to Do It The first and hardest step is to make the decision to do it. Once you do this, share that decision with positive people, and get away from negative thoughts and influences. When he told his dad he was quitting the Clemson football team, his father said, “You’re my horse [even] if you never win a race.” Cubbage attributes much of his success to this unconditional love.
Work on Yourself Cubbage notes the need to “explode your mind with books, seminars and great people.” He pointed out his mother-in-law in the audience who, he said, has many nice things, but when asked what her most valuable possession is, always says it’s her library. According to Cubbage, “Many people get their diploma and think
they’re done, but that’s when it’s go time!”
Dreams Written Down and Dated Are Goals Cubbage cites the need to know what you want to do, and that “if you don’t have goals, you’re going to work for someone who does.” The same goes for managing your time: “If you don’t, someone else will.”
Solve Needs Need satisfaction is critical. Passion for what you do is great, but it’s not a business model unless you’re creating an enterprise that meets other people’s needs. If you can help people with their goals, your goals will be exceeded.
Work With the Right People Work with people who are talented, fun, have integrity, and that you like as friends, Cubbage advised. “I’m better when I’m with people I want to be with,” he said, stressing the need to treat people with kindness, love and respect.
Absolute Integrity Is Everything “Never say anything that isn’t true,” Cubbage said, “because your name is worth more than gold and silver.”
MAR
28
NEXT FRIDAY FORUM Panel discussion on the NEXT High School. Details: greenvillechamber.org
Dress, Act and Prepare Professionally Cubbage noted the importance of looking the part. “If you’re buying, you can wear flip-flops,” he said, “but if you’re selling, you better look like the bank.”
Get Right With God… and Technology Cubbage stressed the need to take spiritual steps forward as part of a holistic approach to a fulfilling life, including loving and nurturing people. And technology isn’t going anywhere, so embracing it is critical to success, he said. According to Steve Bailey, the Chamber’s vice-chair of small business, after the presentation, “Doesn’t everybody feel like Leighton is their friend now?” We did, and so appreciate the encouraging words from such a kind and significant person.
The Greenville Chamber’s Friday Forum Series, held the fourth Friday of each month, is designed to help business professionals connect, learn and grow with networking opportunities and educational presentations.
March 14, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 19
UBJ FOUNDATIONS
Clothes Made the Man
Hyman Endel’s Main Street menswear business grew along with Greenville in the early 20th century Contributed by the South Carolina Room at the Greenville County Public Library 20 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
A
After the Civil War, Greenville entered a period of phenomenal growth. The railroad, a relatively new technological innovation, had arrived in the 1850s just prior to the war. Installation of gas streetlamps began in the 1870s, and by the 1890s Greenville had electricity, running water, and even an electric trolley system. It was during this period that textile mills began to eclipse all other forms of manufacturing in the county, leading to Greenville’s designation as “The Textile Capital of the World” in the early part of the 20th century. Like today, Main Street was central to the business life of the city. Prior to the Civil War, most clothing was generally tailor-made or homemade. Ready-to-wear clothing was relatively rare, but was becoming increasingly popular. One of Main Street’s most prominent clothing merchants during the Gilded Age and early 20th century was Hyman Endel. Hyman Endel came to Greenville in the 1870s. The son of Russian
Photos Provided
immigrants, he was born in Richmond, Va., in 1852. When the war began, his father, Moses, enlisted in the Confederate Army and was later arrested by Union troops for blockade running. When Endel came to Greenville, he moved in with his uncle, Harry Mark, who owned a house on North Street. Mark and Endel went into business together in August 1877. They opened two stores, one near the intersection of Washington and Main streets, and another at the intersection of River and Pendleton streets. They specialized in men’s ready-to-wear clothing furnished by the Schloss Brothers firm, one of Baltimore’s most successful clothing manufacturers. Mark and Endel were extremely successful. After his uncle retired from the firm in the 1890s, Endel continued the business. He opened the Globe clothing house at 120 S. Main St. between Washington and McBee. He later built a mansion on North Main Street. Endel was not only a successful businessman, but also a respected member of the community. He was a substantial contributor to the City Hospital fund and a supporter of Furman University and the Greenville Woman’s College. Hyman’s sister, Fannie, attended the woman’s college. In the 1890s, Endel made provision at both institutions for an award known as the Endel Memorial Medal. One of these was an award for the best history student at Furman University, an allmale institution at the time. The other was presented to the best student of expression at the Greenville Woman’s College. These two institutions eventually
March 14, 2014
merged and both medals are still awarded at Furman, now known as The Furman University Endel Memorial History Medal and the Endel Medal of Excellence in Mass Communication. After moving to Greenville, Endel participated in the formation of a local Jewish congregation. He was a founding member of Greenville’s first Reform synagogue, the Temple of Israel, serving as its first vice president. The congregation’s original six families had begun gathering on Whitsett Street at the home of Endel’s daughter, Mrs. George Riesenfeld, around 1911. The Temple itself was built on Buist Avenue in the late 1920s on land that had been donated by another member of Greenville’s Jewish community, Manos Meyers, the founder of Meyers Arnold department stores. When he died in 1925, the Greenville News paid tribute to him by stating that “there never has been and never will be a better citizen than Mr. Endel.”
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 21
FOUNDERS COVER STORY
NOTES FROM
THE EDGE
With “EDGY Conversations,” entrepreneur Dan Waldschmidt looks at the extraordinary successes of ordinary people By Jennifer Oladipo senior business writer joladipo@communityjournals.com
D
Dan Waldschmidt’s small office hardly seems big enough to contain his liveliness. He burns some energy working at a stand-up desk that takes up most of the room at the NEXT Innovation Center. The space is pretty much straight to the point, much like Waldschmidt. His new book, for example, starts off with probably the grittiest, bottom-of-the-barrel scene a person could imagine. It’s a scene from Waldschmidt’s own life, when he was ostensibly successful, yet troubled enough to consider suicide. He has shared the story with audiences before to illustrate how his quick rise to success – being a CEO at age 25 – was driven by a dysfunctional, fearful state in which he believes many people live.
22 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 14, 2014
Photos by Greg Beckner
A decade later, he has a brighter outlook, and his multiple companies have him dealing in areas including marketing, tech, real estate and business development. Waldschmidt said the search for happiness and success taught him several lessons,
one of which was that most of the advice out there isn’t any good. He couldn’t find anybody among his friends and colleagues who had benefitted from the prescriptions in self-help and business books. So he decided for four years to look >>
>>
away from the popular business experts and toward everyday people who had proved to be successful one way or another. More than 150 of those stories appear in his new book, “EDGY Conversations: How Ordinary People Achieve Extraordinary Success.” For several years Waldschmidt has shared unconventional business expertise on his blog, also called “EDGY Conversations,” rated one of the top seven sales blogs by the Wall Street Journal. He writes for outlets such as Business Insider and has been featured in Inc. Magazine. As managing partner of the business consulting firm Waldschmidt Partners and founder of Jackson Stanley Realtors, he can talk about many aspects of business. But he says the book aims simply to inspire. He wanted to help people looking to change their lives but who remain baffled in today’s economic landscape.
“You’re not great. You’re here because you want to be better. That’s okay. Why don’t we start talking about that?”
“There’s a lot of people even in the small- to medium-sized business world who are just like, ‘I guess I’ll try more of the same?’” Waldschmidt talked with UBJ about the book and the lessons he’s learned in his own life and career. Among dozens of topics and ideas, some pieces of advice stood out in the conversation.
BE BRUTALLY HONEST.
Waldschmidt says he is working on following up his brutal honesty with conversations that help build people up, especially if he just had to tear an idea down. But honesty with ourselves is the really important thing. Being reflective about true motivations behind our actions, admitting when we’re lazy, and chucking excuses are crucial to success.
KEEP TRYING, OR ADMIT YOU’RE QUITTING.
He says this basic idea
has been lost among today’s entrepreneurs. Too often he hears them say, “I tried that once.” He suggests at that point that perhaps they should try again. He points out that Henry Ford experienced multiple bankruptcies before revolutionizing the auto industry, and Colonel Sanders tried more than 1,000 recipes before finding the one on which he built his empire, Kentucky Fried Chicken. The term “pivoting,” for which Waldschmidt has zero respect, has become a substitute for quitting, he says. “Instead we just give it a new name, pretend like it’s awesome, but then [actually] go and do something else. So over time we just delude ourselves.”
FORGET ABOUT BALANCE.
Waldschmidt believes it’s impossible to be both balanced and successful. Sometimes extreme effort is necessary to succeed, and trying to stay balanced can get in the way of that. Waldschmidt is incredulous about images of a neatly compartmentalized life where work and personal hours are strictly scheduled. It’s silly to make rules about not taking work calls after certain hours. “So if my wife calls during the day, does that mean I don’t pick up the phone?” Instead, he urges people to strive for harmony. Harmony allows for times of intensity the success demands, but it also means that the overall result comes together well.
IT’S ALWAYS WHAT IT’S NOT.
Waldschmidt says the really interesting information lies in what is not
March 14, 2014
being said or discussed. He wonders how people are really doing when they bump into each other at his talks and say they’re doing great. “You’re not great. You’re here because you want to be better. That’s okay. Why don’t we start talking about that?” There’s a palpable sense of depression around the country that Waldschmidt says he doesn’t see when traveling abroad. Marketers in particular should think not about how to sell their products or services, but how to transcend the everyday pain and fear under which most people are operating.
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU DO; IT’S WHO YOU ARE.
“It kind of sounds cheesy, but there’s a reason why we’re called human beings, not human doings.” He says the constant focus on what people are doing – how they spend their time, earn their money, where they went to school – misses the point. The reason why most companies will never be successful is because they’re more concerned with following formulas than working on their character.
EDGY
is an acronym for: Extreme behavior Disciplined activity Giving mindset Y(h)uman strategy. LEARN MORE: danwaldschmidt.com edgyconversations.com
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 23
UBJ SQUARE FEET
Spencer/Hines Sees Growth in Greenville By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
After spending 10 years in retail sporting goods and 18 years in the textile business, Bobby Hines decided to delve into real estate. He learned the trade over a decade or so at Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine and Langston Black before taking the plunge last year and opening the Greenville branch of Spencer/Hines Properties, a Spartanburg-based real estate firm that he co-owns with his brother, Ben Hines, along with Lynn Spencer. UBJ recently caught up with Bobby Hines to get his take on the competitive Greenville real estate market.
Why did you decide to open Spencer/Hines in Greenville? My brother and I have been involved in several real estate deals together in the past and had talked over the years about how great it would be to be in business together at some point. We had a family business when we were much younger, O’Neal Williams Sporting Goods, that we worked in together along with my father, Bentley Hines, and Alva Phillips. We were there for several years and that worked out well. Ben and I are best friends and really get along very well, so that was a consideration. Everything in life is about timing, including buying and selling real estate, so we had to wait
“There is so much going on downtown, and that is very exciting. I think the focus is going north up Main Street and out to Stone Avenue and Poinsett Highway.”
until the timing was right to start a Greenville office of Spencer/Hines Properties. We were both raised in Greenville, and with the Greenville market being such a great market, we felt that with our long-term relationships here and in Spartanburg and us working in this industry for many years that the timing was finally right. We now truly cover the Upstate.
How is your company different than other real estate firms? There are several good real estate companies in our markets. The Spencer/Hines office in Spartanburg has a larger presence in that market of about 10 agents than we currently do in Greenville, but we emphasize that we are a local real estate company. We don’t have a national flag with our name, but Ben and I and most all our agents have built our business on personal relationships, referrals, honesty and integrity. We are aggressive by nature, so follow-up and services are very important to all of us. We do what we say we are going to do and are careful not to let a client think we know the answer to a question unless we really do. Being forthright and honest are strong at-
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tributes in our company. The Greenville office recently added an agent to be our office manager and residential real estate arm. Alison Germain has about 20 years of experience in residential real estate. We added her because we needed an office manager and we have been asked many times if we worked in the residential area. My son, Zach, and I are 100 percent commercial agents and our residential agent is 100 percent residential, but we can now refer customers to our residential department. We will
BOBBY HINES
not allow a residential agent to work on commercial properties, and our commercial agents will not work on residential properties. They are entirely different animals, and we want to be the best in our field. We offer this service to help us complete the real estate circle of commercial sales, leasing, investment and property management and now, residential (Greenville only).
Where do you think the major emphasis will be this year in the Greenville real estate market? The downtown area is still the No. 1 topic in real estate conversations in general. There is so much going on downtown, and that is very exciting. I think the focus is going north up Main Street as far as the downtown market is concerned and out to Stone Avenue and Poinsett Highway. There is also a lot of activity for me in the industrial market. I think most brokers will tell you that there is a lack of available industrial properties in the Greenville/Spartanburg markets in certain building sizes, so I think that is an obvious need in the Greenville/Spartanburg markets.
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150 Lofts Planned for Brandon Mill By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
The long-vacant Brandon Mill on Draper Street in the Village of West Greenville could see new life, as Georgia-based developer Pace Burt now has it under contract. Burt embarked on a similar project in 2005, renovating the Monaghan Mill on Smythe Street by turning the run-down property into high-end, loft-style apartments named the Lofts of Greenville. His company is also currently renovating the Skylar Building and the Mayfair Mill Lofts, both in Spartanburg. “I’ve been watching the Greenville market and how dynamic it is,” said Burt. “We like taking a risk and we think that part of Greenville is worth taking a risk in.” Burt said he had looked at the Brandon Mill several years ago, but at that time it was under contract with a developer who wanted to do low-end apartments. That didn’t pan out and Burt says the timing now couldn’t be better. T h e Brandon Mill project will be called the West Village Lofts, Burt
Photo by Greg Beckner
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said. The 400,000-square-foot building will be converted to approximately 150, 1,500-square-foot NewYork style lofts with open floor plans, exposed brick and 18-foot ceilings. The community will feature a swimming pool, fitness center and outdoor green spaces, he said. Burt intends to integrate the property with the artist vibe of the surrounding community, offering a
small gallery and museum on the first floor of the mill to showcase local artists. He also plans to donate a 24,000-square-foot warehouse on the property that can be used for artist space and workshops, including glassblowing and pottery areas. “It’s going to take support from a lot of different people,” said Burt, who added that he already has the backing of other businesses in the
Village of West Greenville, Greenville County, banks and the surrounding community. Burt said the project is currently undergoing an environmental assessment. He hopes to close on the property in 90-120 days. Once that is completed, engineering and architectural work can begin. He anticipates the entire project will be completed within two years.
UBJ THE FINE PRINT Clemson Team Chosen as Breast Cancer Start-Up Challenge Finalist A Clemson University team of business administration and bioengineering students is a finalist in the Breast Cancer Start-Up Challenge, a competition created by the Avon Foundation, National Cancer Institute, and The Center for Advancing Innovation that aims to advance biomedical inventions. The team created a business plan for an invention that allows for a new approach to tissue regeneration following breast cancer surgery. As a finalist, Clemson’s business team has an opportunity to launch a startup company, negotiate licensing agreements and raise seed funding to further develop its product. Clemson bioengineer Karen Burg, breast cancer cell biologist Brian Booth, bioengineer Chih-Chao Yang, and their research team at the
Clemson University Institute for Biological Interfaces of Engineering, with funding from the Avon Foundation, developed and patented an engineered tissue with anti-cancer properties that can be used to test breast cancer therapies or can be used as “injectable tissue” to replace breast tissue removed during cancer surgery. The challenge featured student teams led by entrepreneurs from the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, India, and the Netherlands, along with 10 unlicensed breast cancer inventions. The teams had to make startup business plans based on these inventions.
Other colleges presented business plans, but Clemson was the only university that created technology and also had a team developing a business plan. Teams from the University of North Carolina/Duke University, Wake Forest University and Tulane University also competed. “The Breast Cancer StartUp Challenge ties engineering and science with economic development,” said Anand Gramopadhye, dean of the College of Engineering and Science at Clemson, in a release. “Clemson researchers are helping place the university and South Carolina at the forefront of bioengineering and breast cancer research. More importantly, these entrepreneurial skills are expected of the next generation of engineers and scientists to create new companies.”
SCHCC to Attend USHCC 2014 Legislative Summit The SC Hispanic Chamber (SCHCC) will send a group of representatives to attend the United States H i s p a n i c Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) 2014 Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. from March 25-27. To address issues affecting Hispanic businesses in South Carolina, the group will meet with their congressional delegation and other federal government officials to discuss issues affecting South Carolina’s Hispanic business owners and ways to create positive solutions with representatives at the Capitol.
Evelyn Lugo, president; Joshua Kimbrell, board member; Terenick Medina, director of
finance of Karnick, Inc. and SCHCC member; and Gustavo Nieves, director of government affairs, will represent the SCHCC. To inform the SCHCC representatives of any issues you would like addressed, email info@ schcc.org or call 864-6437261. For more information about the Summit, visit ushcclegislative.com.
Core Molding Announces $6.4M Investment Core Molding Technologies Inc., an Ohio-based manufacturer of sheet molding compound and a molder of fiberglass-reinforced plastics, recently announced a $6.4 million investment in machinery and equipment that will add more than 50 new jobs to its Gaffney location.
Core’s growth plans accelerated in March 2013 with an award of
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new business to produce roofs, hoods, and other molded parts for Volvo Group North America LLC,
and most of those items are expected to be produced in its Gaffney location. “We are excited to be moving forward with an expansion of our Gaffney manufacturing operations,” said Kevin L. Barnett, president and CEO of Core Molding Technologies, in a release. “Cherokee County and South Carolina have established a great business environment and we appreciate the support we’ve received from state and local officials.” The expansion is expected to be completed by the middle of 2014.
UBJ THE FINE PRINT
Greenville Water Named “Best Tasting” in SC For the second year in a row and the third time in four years, Greenville Water has been named the “Best Tasting” Drinking Water in South Carolina at the annual South Carolina Environmental Conference in Myrtle Beach. Greenville Water will now have the opportunity to regain the title of the nation’s “Best of the Best” Drinking Water in the
national competition to be held at the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition in Boston on June 10, 2014, according to a statement from Greenville
Water. Greenville last won the national competition in 2011 against competitors such as Denver Water, Anchorage Water and Louisville Water. Greenville Water receives its water from two mountain watersheds north of the city and from Lake Keowee, located west of the city. Water from these sources is then treated at the L.B. Stovall Water Treatment Plant and the Adkins Water Treatment Plant, “both of which treat the water to a very high quality using state-of-the-art treatment technologies,” said Greenville Water. “Congratulations to the entire staff of Greenville Water, particularly all of our staff who are responsible for protecting, treating and maintaining our high-quality water,” said Phillip Kilgore, chairman of the Greenville Water Commission, in the statement. “They make us all very proud.”
Mary Black Health System Selects New CEO Sean Dardeau, a hospital executive from Alabama, will begin his term as CEO of Spartanburg’s Mary Black Health System effective March 17. Dardeau, who served as chief operating officer for Trinity Medical Center, a 534-bed hospital in Birmingham, Ala., for the past six years, succeeds Douglas Moyer, who left last month to become CEO at Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg, Va. “I’m honored to join the physicians, employees and volunteers at Mary Black Health System who are dedicated to providing patients with high quality care,” Dardeau said in a statement. “I look forward to supporting the work they’ve done to make this hospital an important resource for the Spartanburg community.”
Spruce to Merge Upstate, Western N.C. Companies Palmetto Window Cleaning LLC, a residential and commercial cleaning and maintenance services company based in Greenville, and Spruce, a residential/ commercial cleaning and maintenance service and solutions company established in Asheville, N.C., have announced a merger between the two companies. The merger, effective immediately, will unite the two companies under the business name Spruce: Services and Solutions.
Spruce will now offer customers “updated and extended residential and commercial services and solutions for cleaning and maintenance as well as exterior enhancements,” according to a statement. Spruce offers a variety of property services, from cleaning and maintenance to exterior enhancements. Will Bruce, Spruce’s founder and owner of both Palmetto Window Cleaning and Spruce,
will continue to lead the newly expanded company. “We are grateful for the opportunity to be in a position to expand our company to meet the
March 14, 2014
needs of more customers in more communities throughout the Carolinas,” said Bruce. Spruce will operate from two main offices: one based at 9 Ramseur Court in Greenville, predominantly servicing the Upstate, and another in Asheville servicing Western North Carolina, with satellite offices in Columbia and Charleston, S.C. More information is available at sprucepro.com.
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 27
New hires, promotions & award winners can be featured in On The Move. Send information & photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
UBJ ON THE MOVE APPOINTED
HIRED
HIRED
HIRED
HONORED
HONORED
William C. Hubbard
Lindsey Oehman
Joie Moré
Natasha Sexton
Paul Schaaf
Bob Moss
Named to NBSC’s South Carolina board of directors. Hubbard is a partner with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. He practices in business and financial services litigation, unfair trade practices, and class actions.
Joined Upstate Business Journal as a marketing representative. Oehman was previously the owner of Vintage Made Modern, a sales person for Stella & Dot, and a legal assistant. She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and UMass Boston.
Joined A.T. Locke as a financial analyst. Moré previously served as controller for Agfa Healthcare and has also held leadership roles in finance and strategy with Sterling Diagnostic Imaging, Umbro International and Michelin Tire Corporation.
Joined Milone & MacBroom Inc. as lead landscape architect. Sexton is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and is a Registered Landscape Architect in South Carolina. She brings 15 years of experience to the firm.
Honored for a lifetime of support for YMCA with a lifetime seat on the Y’s Endowment board of directors. Schaaf is the fourth person to have that honor and joins the company of Frank Halter, Ben Geer Keys and Paul Goldsmith.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame for Clemson University’s Department of Construction Science and Management. Moss is founder and CEO of Moss & Associates, which to date has completed $3 billion in construction projects in North America and the Caribbean.
VIP – HONORED LINDA HUNDRIESER Honored with Propel HR’s Employee Excellence Award. Hundrieser joined Propel HR in 2006 and is the director of human resources. She has over 28 years of experience in the human resources field. The inaugural award recognizes an employee for outstanding leadership and an exceptional commitment to the company and its customers.
BANKING/FINANCIAL SERVICES: CertusBank recently welcomed Ron McCoy as a senior loan officer to CertusBank Mortgage. McCoy previously worked with SunTrust Bank as a mortgage loan consultant. The Upstate Workforce Investment Board recently announced that David Wall was named chairman. Wall has served on the workforce investment board for the past eight years. He currently serves as assistant vice president at Wells Fargo in Spartanburg. Scott and Company LLC recently welcomed Sharon Ray as a senior accountant on the Assurance and Advisory services team. Ray joins Scott and Company after more than a decade of experience in industry and public accounting. She has prior experience working as an auditor with both the South Carolina Department of Revenue and with regional public accounting firms.
BUSINESS SERVICES: The Greenville Chamber recently presented its annual awards. Brenda Verdone, founder of Greater Greenville Greeter, was recognized with the
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Ambassador of the Year Award; Jennie Johnson won the ATHENA Leadership Award; Anna Kate and Hayne Hipp won the Buck Mickel Leadership Award; Matt Puckett won the Chairman’s Award; Brad Wyche won the Leadership Greenville Distinguished Alumni Award; and John Boyanoski won the Young Professional of the Year Award. The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce recently honored the following people at their annual meeting: John T. Wardlaw with the Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award; Donna Simpson as Volunteer of the Year; Cal and Grey Wicker as Spartanburg Young Professionals of the Year. Teachers of the Year were Amanda Garcia, District 1, Holly Springs Motlow Elementary; Matt Johnson, District 2, Boiling Springs Elementary; Hannah Levister, District 3, Broome High School; Giada Parris, District 4, Woodruff Primary School; Kristy Garrett, District 5, River Ridge Elementary; Jed Dearybury, District 6, Woodland Heights Elementary; Charles Townson, District 7, Spartanburg High School, Dr. Tim Fisher, Spartanburg Day School; and Chris-
tine Wagner, SC School for the Deaf and the Blind.
EDUCATION: Spartanburg Methodist College recently recognized 10 women with awards for their commitment and leadership in their respective fields of media, education, public service, missions, philanthropy, politics, leadership and business: Sheila Breitweiser with the Pioneering Women Lifetime Achievement Award; Elizabeth Hartley Renneker, Spartanburg Co. Sheriff’s Department, with the Alumna Award; Christy Henderson, WSPA, with the Media Award; Sharon Porter, SMC, with the Public Service Award; Jean Bradley, Guardian ad Litem Program, with the Missions Award; Betty Montgomery with the Philanthropy Award; Erica Brown, Spartanburg City Council, with the Political Leadership Award; Beth Jeter Hrubala, Morgan Stanley, with the Business Award; Betsy Teeter, Hub City Writers Project, with the Creative Leadership Award; and Penny Fisher, retired, Greenville County Schools, with the Education Award.
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>> LEGAL:
Grimes Teich Anderson LLP, injury and disability lawyers, recently announced that partner Scott M. Anderson has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which has been providing ratings and information about lawyers for more than 140 years.
cently announced new members to their board of directors, who include: Zachary Davis, assistant professor of chemistry at Newberry College; Marie Majarais Smith, SC Victim Assistance Network; Gwen Wise, Wise Ideas LLC; and Joni Young, Community Volunteers.
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1 Down Home Desserts recently opened at 18 S. Main St., Travelers Rest. They are open Tuesday-Thursday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday-Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m. For information, call 864-834-5959.
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HOME LOANS & SAVINGS
SPORTS: NONPROFIT: The South Carolina Council of Trout Unlimited recently presented its annual Palmetto Trout Award to Frank E. Holleman III. Holleman is the president of Naturaland Trust in Greenville, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, and has had a career in government, public and private service. The award was given in recognition of his dedication, work and results in furthering the Trout Unlimited State Council mission of conserving, protecting and restoring coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in South Carolina. Greenville Family Partnership re-
Jackson Motorsports Group recently added Kristin Decker as event manager. Decker brings more than 21 years of experience in event management and sales. She previously served as an event marketing manager for a large integrated marketing agency and handled planning and logistics for a number of major events, including a national thought leaders conference.
TECHNOLOGY: Engenius recently announced that account executive Doug Tootle is serving on the Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Council. Tootle is a graduate of Auburn University.
Keeping It Simple Since 1907.
With security breaches and identity theft ever-present in this digital age, it’s good to know you can still choose a financial institution that practices personal banking, the old fashioned way. Face to face, neighbor to neighbor, handshake by handshake, Citizens Building & Loan has built relationships of trust with our customers and served as a source of financial strength in the Greater Greer community for over 100 years. Simple choices and satisfied customers…that’s how we operate at Citizens Building & Loan.
March 14, 2014
229 Trade Street | Greer, SC | 877-2054
CBLGreer.com
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 29
UBJ PLANNER FRIDAY MARCH 14
toastmastersclubs.org
CONTACT: 864-239-3748
NORTH GREENVILLE ROTARY CLUB
REGISTER AT: greenvillechamber.org
The Poinsett Club, 807 E. Washington St., Greenville; 12:30-1:30 p.m.
ROTARY CLUB GREENVILLE EAST MEETING
CONTACT: Shannon Harvey at 864-228-2122 or shannonharvey@ allstate.com
MONDAY MARCH 17 GCS ROUNDTABLE The Office Center at the Point, 33 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 8:30-9:30 a.m. SPEAKER: Myles Golden TOPIC: Networking vs. Net-Weaving Call Golden Career Strategies at 864-527-0425 to request an invitation PUBLIC POLICY LUNCH SERIES The Kroc Center, 424 Westfield St., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. SPEAKER: Gov. Nikki Haley COST: $25 per person and includes lunch
CONTACT: Jeff Alfonso at jeff@ alfonsointerpreting.com NXLEVEL FOR ENTREPRENEURS
CityRange, 615 Haywood Road, Greenville; 12:30-1:30 p.m. FOR INFORMATION: greenvilleeastrotary.org CONTACT: president@ greenvilleeastrotary.org
USC Upstate, The George Business College, Room 270, 160 E. St. John St., Spartanburg; 6-9 p.m. Fee: $195 for 6 weeks CONTACT: Beth Smith at es2@clemson.edu REGISTER AT: clemson.edu/centersinstitutes/sbdc
TUESDAY MARCH 18 HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS NETWORK
GOLDEN STRIP TOASTMASTERS
Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 7:30-9 a.m.
Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 739 N. Main St., Mauldin; 7-8 p.m.
CONTACT: Julie Alexander at 864-239-3754
FOR INFORMATION: bit.ly/gstm03142014
COST: Free for guests
REGISTER AT: greenvillechamber.org
CONTACT: Prasad Patchipulusu at pprasa1@hotmail.com
TOASTMASTERS BILINGUE
UPSTATE PC USERS GROUP
University Center, 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Auditorium Room 204, Greenville; noon-1 p.m.
Five Forks Baptist Church, 112 Batesville Road, Simpsonville; 7:30-9:30 p.m.
FOR INFORMATION: tmbilingue.
FOR INFORMATION: ucpcug.org
Breakfast 30 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Lunch
March 14, 2014
WEDNESDAY MARCH 19
SPEAKER: Jerry Lanier, Lanier Roofing
SALES ROUNDTABLE
COST: Free to visitors
Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
REGISTRATION: Invitation required
SPEAKER: John Farrall, Newport Board Group LLC TOPIC: How to Make Your Customers Stick to You like Glue! CONTACT: Tripp James at 864-2393728 or tjames@ greenvillechamber.org REGISTER AT: greenvillechamber.org TECH AFTER FIVE – GREENVILLE Carolina Ale House, 113 S. Main St., Greenville; 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Free to GSA Technology Council members. REGISTER AT: techafterfive.com
THURSDAY MARCH 20 BUSINESS NETWORK INTERNATIONAL Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, 1175 Woods Crossing Road, Greenville; 8-9:30 a.m.
CONTACT: Shanda Jeffries at sjeffries@ flynnwealthy.com or 864-968-2319
Your Message COST: $25 for public; $15 for USC Upstate faculty and students REGISTER AT: scwbc.net CONTACT: Janet Christy at janet@ scwbc.net or 864-244-4117
CHAMBER PRESENTS Stella’s Southern Bistro, 684-C Fairview Road, Simpsonville; noon-1 p.m. SPEAKER: John Bostic, Independence National Bank TOPIC: How-To Tips on Mortgage and Credit Qualification COST: $15 for Simpsonville Chamber members, $25 for non-members FOR INFORMATION: simpsonvillechamber.com CONTACT: Jennifer Richardson at jrichardson@ simpsonvillechamber.com MARKETING SERIES USC Upstate, 800 University Way, Media Building, Room 238, Spartanburg; 5-7:30 p.m. TOPIC: Developing
SMALL BUSINESS START-UP Tri-County Technical College – Pendleton Campus, 7900 Hwy. 76, Pendleton; 5:30-8:30 p.m. COST: Free to attend CONTACT: 864-646-1700 REGISTER AT: piedmontscore.org BRINGING FUTURIST THINKING TO URBAN AMERICAN & MINORITY COMMUNITIES Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe St., Greenville; 6-9 p.m. SPEAKER: Dr. Nat Irvin III COST: $25 per person REGISTER AT: greenvillechamber.org
Coffee Pastries Corporate Delivery
UBJ SNAPSHOT
Historic photo available from the Greenville Historical Society. From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection,” by Jeffrey R. Willis
By the 1920s, Greenville had a small but active middle class from the African-American community. One very active member was Hattie Logan Duckett. After graduating from Claflin College, she attended schools for social work in New York and Chicago. Seeing the need for a social center for young AfricanAmerican women, she founded the Phillis Wheatley Association in 1919 and bought a house on East McBee Avenue. The center was named for Phillis Wheatley, who rose from slavery to become the first person of African descent to publish a book of poetry in English (1773). Desiring to expand the operations of the center to include both young men and women, Duckett appealed for support and aid from industrialist Thomas F. Parker. A joint campaign by white and African-American citizens raised funds to build a three-story brick building at 121 E. Broad St. in 1924. A branch of the county library was placed in the center. It was the first public library for African-Americans in South Carolina. During World War II, the center provided activities for African-American soldiers.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Today the three-story brick building is gone. A parking lot and one of Erwin-Penland’s buildings occupy the location.
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com UBJ ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com MANAGING EDITOR Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com
SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER Jennifer Oladipo
ART & PRODUCTION
STAFF WRITERS Sherry Jackson, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris, Joe Toppe
PRODUCTION MANAGER Holly Hardin
CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jeanne Putnam PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Beckner MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsey Oehman, Pam Putman MARKETING & EVENTS Kate Banner DIGITAL STRATEGIST Emily Price
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
ART DIRECTOR Kristy M. Adair
STORY IDEAS:
ADVERTISING DESIGN Michael Allen, Whitney Fincannon UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals. com to submit an article for consideration. Copyright @2014 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, South Carolina, 29602. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $65. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, SC 29602. Printed in the USA.
March 14, 2014
ideas@ upstatebusinessjournal.com
EVENTS: events@ upstatebusinessjournal.com
NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AWARDS: onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 31
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